Arms of an Angel
by MoonlightGardenias
Summary: Kate gets recaptured, but Jack manages to escape. Believing both him and Sawyer are dead, will Kate find her way again after one of them saves her? Jate.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: We're off until February, and I needed something to hold me over...Jate wise, anyway. This chapter's pretty short but basically, Kate and Sawyer failed in escaping from the Others. However, Jack was able to perform the surgery sucessfully, and afterward went back the camp, believing that he had to go back at save them. Basically picking up shortly after we left off.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. If I did, we wouldn't have gone on break, and If I did well...I'd have better things to do with my time.**

* * *

She was cold. It was the first thing that came to mind. It had been raining, because droplets fell from the trees. The wind stirred a little, causing her to wrap herself closer. Shivering, she let out a breath. She didn't know how long she'd been there-minutes or hours. Closing her eyes, she tried thinking about why she was there. Sniffling, tears trickled down her face. "Hello?"She whispered. 

The sound of footsteps could be heard outside the door.

"Somebody?"Kate whispered, not knowing who was there.

Shuffling, a mumbled voice, and then nothing. Nothing but silence reaching her.

"I know someone's out there! Please...help me."Kate cried, shaking. She felt scared and alone, not knowing what to expect.

This time, someone opened the door, just enough to see her. "What's wrong?"

"Why am I here?"Kate asked, trying to bring herself into a sitting position.

"You tried to escape. You're in solitary, ma'm. "

Closing her eyes, she nodded. It was all coming back to her now. She was by the cages when Jack radioed. He asked them to let her and Sawyer go, in exchange for saving Ben's life. "Where are the others?"

"If you mean the doctor and the other one-they're where they're supposed to be."The voice said.

"Do I get to see them?"

Silence filtered into her when there was no reply. The door was still cracked open, but she couldn't see who was there.

"Maybe later. We'll see."

And with that, the voice was gone.

* * *

It seemed like a dream. To be back at the camp for a few days, knowing that he didn't have time. But he knew he couldn't do it alone. That was, until Jack discovered that Sayid had gone missing as well. Along with him, Sun and Jin. It only left Charlie and Locke to protect everyone who was left. After going over the plan again, Jack decided to bring Charlie along with him. 

"Are you sure you want to go back already? Shouldn't you take some time to rest or something?"Charlie asked.

Jack shoved water bottles into his backpack, glaring at him. "Kate's over there...probably hurt. You think I wanna wait?"

"So you do love her-"

"That's not what I said."Jack replied, hoisting the bag over his shoulder. "I said she's over there. And so's Sawyer. But we have to go by boat. Or raft. There's one waiting."

"So you're going to leave just like that?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah. If we hurry we can be at the other's camp by late tomorrow."

Sighing, Charlie prepared his bag. "It seems like a rush to me."

"Are you _coming_ or not?"

Looking over at Claire and Aaron, Charlie quickly darted his eyes back to Jack. "I'm coming."

* * *

The door opened again, this time more widely, to where Kate could clearly see someone standing there. In their hands was a tray. 

"So you want me to eat?"

Without a word, the person set the tray on the ground before her. "Yes, Ms.Austen. We need you to eat."

Trying to see him through the dark, Kate gulped. "What is it?"

"Take off the lid. It's just a sandwich."

"I don't eat meat."

"Picky, huh?"The man said, not stepping towards her. Pulling a bag off of his shoulder, he tossed it towards her. "Clothes. The ones you have on are wet...figured you'd need to change."

Nodding in the dark, Kate pulled the bag into her lap. "I want to see my friends."

"I'm sorry?"

"Jack and Sawyer. I want to see them."

The man coughed, clearly wanting to say something. "I'm...sorry."

Grateful for what she could get, Kate still remained puzzled. "What do you mean you're sorry? What happened?

The man remained quiet, seemingly disappointed. "I'm sorry, Ms.Austen."

"Why is that?"

"Because, Ms.Austen...they tried to escape."

"I know that! So did I..."Kate said, fear laced through her voice.

"But you lived."He said, curiousness in his voice.

"What?"She asked, feeling her own heart beat in her chest. Reaching down, she covered her chest with her hand, ready to recieve any news.

"They're dead."

_Dead._ "Excuse me...what?"

"You heard me. Dead."The man replied, emotionless.

"How is that-how is that possible? Earlier...you said I could see them."

"Yeah. And if you're not careful, you will."

She jumped upon hearing the door slam shut. Closing her eyes, Kate's breath was knocked out of her. It didn't seem real. Jack was dead? The day before he was telling her to escape, and he died rescuing her? It didn't make sense. With shaking hands, she reached inside the bag. In it was, as the man had said, a change of clothes. But also inside it was a flashlight. Turning it on, light illuminated the room. Two things were in the bag other than the clothes. A guava and a spoon. Puzzled, Kate took the lid off of the tray.

On it was, as the man said, a sandwich. But along with it, a bowl of soup.

It was then that she realized that there were tears flowing through her lids. It still didn't seem real-Jack being dead. Nothing could make it seem real.

* * *

Setting down his bag, Charlie let out a sigh. "Okay. So we're resting?"

"For a few minutes. But we have to get going."Jack said.

"Sure."

"What's wrong?"Jack said, adjusting his shoe."If you don't want to come, there's still time to turn around."He warned.

"No. No, we've gotten this far...we might as well go."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Thanks for the kind reviews. I know that something is up with the site, but if you are able to review, please do so. It's what keeps us writers going. I know this story will probably get angsty, and kind of sad before it gets happy. But _we_ know Jack's alive, so I guess that makes it a little better, right?**

**Disclaimer: Again, I don't own anything. **

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* * *

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The light shown through the small window, casting a shadow from the trees outside on the floor. Other than that there was no light in the room, so the corners remained draped in shadows. Kate wasn't sleeping-how could she? Every now and then, she'd here someone pass by, but she couldn't bring herself to sleep. She ate the guava sometime before, but wouldn't eat the sandwich or the soup.

In truth, Kate had lost all will to eat. Everytime she'd try, her stomach would turn into a fist of knots, determined to force itself to stay that way. So Kate sat. She tried desperately to distract herself, to keep her mind off of Jack, or Saywer for that matter.

Her mind found itself wandering back to the moment when she was running. Sawyer was by her, but then in an instant he had disappeared in the brush. Her leg had gotten caught on a tree root and she had fallen. But she heard gunshots. One. Two. Three. Four. She winced every single time. While she was too distracted by her own injury, she could remember faint screams. And the silence. It wasn't until she tried running again did she feel the hands wrapping around her arms. She had been hit over the head, she was almost certain-because she still had a looming headache.

Shivering from the memory, Kate leaned her back against the wall. Jack and Sawyer-two people she had learned to count on...dead? It didn't seem real. It couldn't be. But it was.

* * *

Charlie and Jack moved the raft along slowly, and for the most part, without sound. They knew the Others had watchers, people guarding the island, and they wanted to try their best to not be seen. It wasn't that far away, but Jack found himself wondering, waiting.

He was running-Fast. Everything became a matter of survival for him. He angrily ripped off the scrub mask he had worn during the surgery, and continued to run. It was then that he heard gunshots. Four of them. Two were close to him. Dodging behind a tree, he saw on whiz by, lodging itself in a tree nearby. He couldn't even see the Other's camp from where he was, so he figured that they'd given up.

Jack's body had grown stiff in those few minutes, not wanting to be detected. His breathing had become shallow, and a misquitoe had fixated itself on his neck, but Jack still couldn't bring himself to move. And then he heard her. It was soft, in the distance a little-but he heard Kate scream. It was something...it was enough to know that atleast she had survived.

Back in the present, their raft was quickly looming close to the other island. Suddenly, the impossible started becoming possible. The reality that maybe, he'd be able to see Kate again. That maybe, he'd get to finish what he had been trying to say. He didn't hate her. Sure, she had slept with Sawyer, and through the tvs, he watched her sleep-the thought still burned in his mind. But he knew, somehow, that it wasn't because of him. That somehow, he'd manage to get her safe again.

Charlie coughed a little, clearly trying hard to remain quiet.

"When we get up here..."Jack whispered. "I'm gonna hand you a gun. But you have to stick with _me_. Follow my lead, if you know what i'm saying."

Charlie nodded his head in agreement, and continued to row.

* * *

Kate was staring at her metal reflection in the spoon when she heard the door open. Not bothering to look up, she sighed.

"Kate?"

Looking up, she was met by the blonde haired woman. Blinking, she tried to remember her name. "Juliet?"

She nodded, face grim. "I need to take you somewhere. Can you come with me?"

"Where are we going?"Kate asked, her voice cold.

"Ben needs to see you."Juliet said, kneeling down before her. "Kate, I'm sorry. I heard-"

"Why would you be sorry? You wanted them dead."

Juliet shook her head. "No, I didn't. But they tried to run away when we weren't done with them."She said, trying to connect with her.

Kate stared at her, her face emotionless. "So you killed them?"

"I didn't-"

"That's not an excuse. Two people are dead for trying to protect themselves."Kate said, knowing she should probably cooperate. Her head ached, and resting her head in her hands, Kate let out an exhausted sigh.

"Kate, you know I have medicine for that headache. If you come with me to talk to Ben, I can help you."Juliet said, remaining calm.

Lifting her head, Kate's hands trembled. "And why should I trust you?"

Juliet looked around, fuming. "Because Kate, I'm on your side. I know that you don't believe me. I know that I have no right to say these sorts of things. But you have got to believe me."

Knowing she didn't have any other choice, Kate stood, feeling her world spinning. She had on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt-but nothing could shield her from the numbing cold she was feeling. "I guess I don't have a choice."

Nodding, Juliet forced a smile. "Thank you for understanding. Now, please come with me."

"Wait."Kate said, stopping. "The man...from earlier. Was he the one who killed them?"

Juliet didn't look at her, but simply looked straight ahead. "I don't know. At the time, I was still with Ben in the operating room."

"Okay."She said, a resigned tone evident."I'll go."

* * *

The raft slowly shifted, floating close enough to the island that Jack and Charlie could walk the rest of the way. "We're gonna go this way."Jack said, watching Charlie follow him.

"Hey Jack?"

Looking back at him, Jack raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"What if...what if they aren't there? What if they moved them? They probably knew that you were coming..or someone at best-"

"We've got to try. Live together, Die alone. Remember?"Jack said, not wanting to sound harsh. It shook him-the idea that she could be dead. He knew she wasn't...she couldn't be. It was the only thing that kept him going.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I don't know what it is, but lately I have been in a somewhat angsty mood lately...but I think that it plays out well. This chapters centers mostly around Kate, though-hope you don't mind. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own anything. Sadly...very sadly.**

* * *

Her hair stuck to her face, she hadn't even realized that she had begun sweating. Her hands were tied together with a rough rope as she hung her head. Kate knew that Juliet was standing beside her-she knew that she could say any number of things to her...but none seemed civil enough. Not that it mattered in that moment, because as she was lead down the hallway, Juliet stopped, producing a key and unlocked a door. Kate couldn't see, and in fact due to their long, winding journey through a maze of hallways, she became quickly dizzy. 

Juliet cleared her throat, taking care to pull off Kate's blindfold. "He's asleep right now."She said. "But he requested to see you. So you'll stay here until he wakes, he'll speak to you-you will listen. And that's it."

Kate looked away from her, gesturing towards her hands.

She said nothing, simply gave something kin to a smirk, but nodded. "Of course."Juliet said. "I'll be right back with some aspirin for that headache."

The sound of the metal door clanging sent a chill through her as her eyes fell upon the man laying asleep in the bed. She wanted so much to shake him, to grab him and strangle him. It was his fault. Had he not needed the surgery, Jack wouldn't have operated, and there wouldn't have been a need for her or Sawyer to escape. But it happened, she thought. And now Jack and Sawyer were dead.

Closing her eyes, Kate shook her head, pleading with her thoughts. She couldn't focus, she couldn't concentrate-it was all the came to her mind. Jack. _Dead. _Sawyer. _Dead._ Kate. _Alive._

It all seemed like a bitter twist of irony-both Jack and Saywer had tried to save her, they had both wanted so much to save her and they died trying to do so?

The door opened again-Juliet carrying two pills in a bag, a glass of water and nothing else. Kate had wished for a knife.

* * *

Jack moved around a tree, staring up at the sky. So far it had been all sun, but there was no telling. Charlie had kept quiet, so his thoughts wandering to Kate. Kate. She had to be okay. Did she know he was alive? He thought back to the moment when he was radoing-when he asked to let them go. He had felt so angry, and yet at the same time, so enthralled-because he wanted Kate safe. And if Sawyer was, too...it was just all the better. 

They paused, watching people through the thick brush. It was still a long way away, and Jack knew then that he'd have to come out ready. "We'll wait here."

Charlie gave him a look, clearly starting to think he was starting to go crazy.

"There are tons of people out there. We're going to _save_ her, not get ourselves killed in the process."

* * *

When Ben opened his eyes, it nearly made her jump. There he was, the man who had-she couldn't even think about it. It hurt, and pushing back the memories didn't seem to help any.

"Nice to see you decided to see me."He said grimly, his face showing no emotion.

Kate blinked, not daring to move.

"So you're the silent type. I can deal with that."He said, looking over at the wall. "But I want you to know...I know what happened. I heard what happened to your friends. An i'm so sorr-"

"No you're not."Kate muttered. "You wanted both of them to be gone. What, so you could just have me?"

"I admit..that this looks a little bad. I assure you, Kate...their untimely deaths were purely accidental..."

Kate shook her head, not willing to look at him. She knew showing weakness was bad, but this man-in a way, was responsible for their deaths. And if she didn't watvh out, he could very well be responsible for her own. It was all too much to think about.

* * *

Smoke stirred on the wind as Jack hid behind another tree. He and Charlie were close enough to the camp to see people, but not close enough for them to be recognizeable. Jack stared down at the ground, he crushed a bug, leaving nothing behind but a green mush in his boot's wake.

"Jack.."Charlie whispered. "When are we going to move?...It feels like we've been standing here for hours."

Jack nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat. "See that guy..."He said, gesturing to a man in front of the camp. "If he sees us-sees the slightest sign that something's wrong...he'll run. He'll tell everyone and then Sawyer won't be the only one dead."He said, his face suddenly changing.

He wondered if Kate knew that he was alive, or that there was a very good chance Saywer wasn't. The image of seeing them together flashed in his mind, and for a moment he felt anger begin to boil, but it subsided when the realization came. It was now or never. "Okay. We're gonna through through the back."Jack said, slowly darting his tongue out to wet his lips. He lifted his eyebrows. "Got it?"

Charlie nodded, wide-eyed. "Yeah."He said in a huff. "After you."

* * *

Kate followed Juliet back into her solitary room and waited impatiently for her to remove the blindfold, praying the the rope was next. She bit her cheek, fighting back any urge to say anything. "Thanks."

Juliet looked up, surprised.

"For gettin' me outta there..and for the...aspirin."

Juliet nodded in understanding. "So I take it that you're feeling better?"

"For now."

"Okay."Juliet said, slipping the rope off of Kate's wrist. With a quick glance and a "I'll be back later with lunch.", Juliet left.

Kate sunk to the wall, for the first time letting tears truly fall. She felt weak, she felt helpless. But one thing was clear...as she buried her head in her hands-she vowed she wasn't giving up...atleast without a fight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Jate. In less than a week. It seems so close. And technically it's not Jate, but still..very dramatic. Can't wait to see what happens. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this update...sorry it took a while. If all goes well, I should have another update sometime this weekend.**

**Disclaimer: Nope...don't own. Sadly. :(**

* * *

Kate awoke sometime later, rubbing her eyes. The light was strewn across the room, but it was paler. She moved the hair out of her face as everything came back to her. She was dreaming. She was running in the jungle, faster than she had remembered actually running. Seeing Jack standing in her path, she stopped dead in her tracks. It seemed like the closer she got to him, the farther he seemed to drift away. Kate then heard the voices closing in on her from behind, and looking, she knew she had to keep running. Urging Jack to come, he wouldn't leave. No matter how much she budged. He told her to go, to be safe.

Shuddering at the memory, Kate stood, pacing around the room. The thing she needed was a plan. At that point she wasn't sure what, but without Jack and Sawyer, the group would need people. People who were willing to take risks for the sake of the group.

Turning towards the wall, she examined the window. She'd climbed through windows before-she was almost certain she could do it again. But it was different this time. Guards. Everywhere. So maybe Juliet could be her way out. Sure, she kind of creeped her out with the whole "I can help you" thing, but eventually, Kate felt that trust could be earned. Laughing, Kate shook her head. _Eventually._

* * *

."Jack?"Charlie whispered, looking over at him. He felt worried, scared almost. Jack had been silent the whole time over, and Charlie had done what was expected. Silence.

Jack looked at him, wary. Nodding, he drew a breath. It was now or never. He had to go. Had to save her. "Yeah. Let's go."

Slowly, they walked out into the clearing. It wasn't entirely dark yet, but the Others had moved closer to camp, careful to monitor their surroundings. Suddenly, Jack held his arm out in front of Charlie as they stood behind a building.

They found solace behind an old brick building. There were no windows, save for an old one covered with rusty bars. But it was settled high on the wall, and was too far down for them to be visible. Jack looked at the sky, which at that time was quickly growing dark. He had this chance. It was it. He had to save her

"Someone's over there."He whispered. "You got a better view-are they alone?"

Charlie strained, as to not cause any noise. He moved back "Yeah. It's a guy...a little shorter than you."

Nodding, Jack drew a deep breath. "Okay. I'll go..."

"Jack-"Charlie insisted. "I'm not going without you-you're not going without me. If you need a distraction, let it be me. You have to get to Kate."

He clenched his jaw, swallowing the lump in his throat. Jack knew Charlie was right. But still, the mere mention of Kate threw him for a loop. "You sure?"

Charlie nodded, knowing it was a choice. It was, at the moment, the only choice.

* * *

Kate sat exhausted on the worn out bed in the corner. She stared blankly throughout the room, but found it hard to focus. Strength was something she'd need for escape, and she couldn't get it by refusing to eat.

The pale, bare lightbulb that hung in the ceiling was soon the only light in the room, and it barely illuminated the entire area. If Kate was to stay there, to help them-did they expect her to cooperate under these sorts of conditions?

Sinking onto the bed, she heard the door being unlocked. She didn't have to look up to know that whoever it was had come in.

"Kate."

Closing her eyes, Kate sat up. "Yeah?"

"You have to eat."Juliet said, setting a tray on the bed.

"Okay."

Juliet frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Okay? So you're not refusing to eat anymore?"

"I guess I've finally realized I have to accept my life for what it is."

"Kate...we have you here for a reason. You have to understand that."

Kate looked up at Kate, her green eyes gleaming with sorrow. "You had Jack and Sawyer here for a reason, too...and you killed them."

"I did not kill either of them, Kate. What happened to them happened because they ran-"

"But I ran, too! Noone shot me...I'm _fine!_"Kate exclaimed, standing up.

"Kate, you need to calm down."Juliet said, trying her best to soothe her. "Getting yourself worked up isn't going to help your case."

"My Case? Is that what I am to you people? A patient? Jack served his purpose, right?...He operated on Ben. And, what-Sawyer and me did, too because we slept together...in a _cage_..and Jack saw, which I'm pretty sure Ben had something to do with? Jack risked his life for you people. You thanked him by killing him!"

A man came running into the room, quickly pushing Juliet aside. "Ms.Austen you need to calm down."

"No. No, I am through with rules, okay? I'm through with all of you people having your stupid mind games. My friends are dead because of you people, why can't you just let me-"

He grabbed her, injecting a needle into her arm. As hard as she tried to fight, as much as she pulled, she couldn't wrangle herself free from his grasp. Kate tried to speak, tried to fight-but couldn't. Everything started to feel weak, pale, and black.

* * *

He flicked the ask on the ground, muttering to himself. He hated nightshift. He hated it. The night was long, warm, a million mosquitoe bites. The light from the cigarette, and the blue reflecting from the bug-lite were the only ones around. But still, he saw something. Moving towards him. Shadows. "Juliet?...Dean?"The man asked, calling the names of anyone else who would be on guard that night.

It was then that he felt the cold, hard mass hitting him over the head-but not before he could press the alarm button.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: So what did you guys think of last two episodes? Not as much Jate as would have been to my liking, but the scene the week before with Kate over the radio-heartbreaking. Anyway, I'm cutting to the chase here, and to be honest, I'm not too sure how I feel about this chapter. There is a _huge_ storyline change, because I really couldn't find a way for that to truly mesh with the direction that I am wanting with this story. So, I hope you can take it for what it is, and please leave a review..it's what keeps me going!**

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Jack charged down the hallway, Charlie following close behind. He ignored the flashing red lights, ignored the sounds of the sirens blaring. He thought he heard a couple of guards, so he quickly leaned into the wall the caved into the door. It didn't cross his mind that he could be shot, or killed. He wanted Kate back, and Jack was prepared to suffer if he had to.

"Jack?"Charlie said, curiousity in his voice. Charlie thought he saw the guilt, or the fear in Jack's eyes. Bound and determined to not let that get to Jack, he nudged him. "You...go. I can take care of stuff here."

"I can't leave you behind, Charlie. You're coming with me."Jack said, staring down the hall. A mix of anger and confusion boiled within him when he saw her standing in the hallway. Juliet. He gulped, realzing how it was when he had left, but Jack hoped that in her he would have some form of an ally.

"Where is she?"He asked, charging up to her.

"_You're_ the intruder? Jack, you can't be here. Guards are searching the island as we speak...you have to go."

Jack shook his head, defiant. "Where is Kate?"

"I can't tell you, Jack. It's too much of a risk."Juliet said, face solemn. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Juliet! Just..."Jack struggled, Kate's face flashing in his mind. "I just need to know if she's okay. I need to make sure she's safe."

She nodded, leaning her head towards the door a few feet away. Jack raised an eyebrow, to which she nodded, making him take off in a bolt.

The room was stiff and dark, boxes scattered in corners. The one lightbulb that served as light for the room was barely enough to read by. He saw the crumpled figure on the bed and froze.

"Jack?"Charlie whispered, following his line of sight. "My G-"

"Kate?"Jack said, running towards the bed. He turned her over, staring as best as he could at her pale face. He sighed a breath of relief, knowing that he could at least see her again. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw her and Sawyer, and felt the bile rise. Shaking the thoughts, Jakc knew that it didn't matter anymore, that Sawyer was dead, and that he'd have a great amount of explaining to do to Kate. "Kate!...Kate, wake up."

"That's what I was trying to tell you."Juliet said from the doorway. She trudged into the room, arms crossed. "It happened a little while ago. Shortly before you came in. Kate wasn't cooperating-said she wasn't going to give up without a fight."

"So you drugged her?"Charlie asked, trying to assist Jack in waking Kate.

"It was only a mild dosage...a sedative. She'll wake up soon, Jack."Juliet said, feeling guilty in her part on the whole deal. "But Jack, you really have to leave. You and your friend here made a mistake by coming back to this place. You can't take Kate with you, Jack."

Jack shook his head, anger rising. "Come on Kate, wake up."

"She would only slow you down. Is it really worth the price of getting shot or recaptured?"

"Let 'em go."

Juliet spun around to see the man standing behind her. "How did you?...Did you people plan this?"

"Sawyer?"Charlie said, his head growing dizzy by the increasingly loud siren. "But you're...dead."

"No I ain't, now you go over there and help the Doc get Kate outta here."He ordered, gun in hand.

Jack stared at him in confusion, carefully cradling Kate in his arms. "I don't understand how...but thank you."

"Save the pleasantries for later, Jacko. I heard Freckles was still here...I came to get her out. But you got her now-"He said, stopping for a brief second to study her face. "She's safer with you."

"We can't leave anyone behind."Charlie said. "Live together, die alone?"

"I got business here to take care of...I'll make it back on my own."

"You have two minutes...there's a trail behind the building. Probably one you used, but it'll clear everyone away. Two minutes, Jack. Kate's gonna drag you down."

"I'm prepared to take the risk."

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Jack's arms were tired, but he managed to ignore it. A branch swiped him in the face, but he was able to ignore the pain. Running with someone in your arms wasn't exactly an easy task, so he half-ran, half speedwalked, a steady rhythmn of inhaling and exhaling. They came upon the raft at the water side, tied to a branch. Charlie untied it and hurriedly climbed aboard.

Mumbling could be heard coming from Kate as the sound of shouting was heard from the island. Jack knew that Juliet had taken a huge risk by letting them go, and he knew that someday he'd have to actually thank her. But Sawyer had been the one to save them, which was the one thing that confused him most. He was supposed to be dead. Jack was thankful however that he wasn't, but what had the Others told Kate? Did she believe that he and Sawyer left without her, or that they had been left for dead?

Juliet had been right, though. Kate was weighing in craft down, but Jack wasn't about to let any of it bother him. He helped Charlie row, feeling their island slowly grow closer.

Her eyes opened slightly, staring up at the sky. She suddenly felt cold, felt the waves echoing around her. She looked up, taking a minute for her eyes to focus. "Jack?"

"Kate. You're gonna be okay."Jack assured her, thankful to hear her voice again.

"But you're...no. Why are they doing this to me? How can they-"

"Kate. Kate, it's me. I'm not...dead. I'm alive-you're alive."He stared back at the island, mind full of questions. He wanted so much to hold her, to make her understand. But he couldn't. He had to keep rowing.

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Charlie had been thinking the entire way back to the island, trying to tune himself out of their ruunion moment. The whole thing was messed up. He went in not knowing what the complications of the whole situation was, and at the moment the whole thing was a blur.But he knew that Jack had gone because he loved Kate. He smiled as they slowly rode onto shore. Maybe the whole thing could have a happy ending, afterall.

"I can walk."Kate insisted, as Jack prepared to pick her up again.

"You are still weak, Kate. I can't risk losing you again."

"Didn't realize I was so important to you."Kate mumbled, still confused by the whole thing. Her mind was still fuzzy, her legs still felt like jelly. So when she tried to stand, she was thankful that Jack was there ready to catch her.

"Well you are. Charlie..thank you."

Charlie nodded. "You're welcome. Do you need help?"

Kate's arm was wrapped around Jack's shoulder. Jack nodded as Kate slowly attempted to raise the other, finding feeling in her legs again. She wanted to say the one thing that was on her mind, but knowing Charlie was there, and feeling an immense need to sleep, Kate succumbed to letting them help her walk.

"Do you need to sit?"Jack asked.

"No. We need to...to get back to camp."Kate insisted.

"We won't make it back tonight. We're gonna have to set up someplace safe. There are a few caves around here, or atleast find a clearing. You need to sleep."

"But what if they-"

Jack shot Charlie a glance, knowing it wasn't what Kate needed to hear. "It'll be okay, Kate."

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They found a small are, sheltered by a few boulders and decided to settle down. Jack resolved to not sleeping, he kept telling himself that he wasn't tired, that Kate was the one who needed rest. They managed to build a small fire, and leaing against a rock, Jack felt Kate's head on his chest. He found himself combing his hands through her hair hearing her breathing. It was hypnotizing in a way-the rise and fall.

"Jack?"Kate mumbled, clearly falling asleep again.

"Yeah?"

"I know...I know that it's not enough, but-"Kate stopped, feeling him against her. Kate knew then that she was safe. That, for once, it was okay to sleep. She knew that there were words to be said, that they would have to talk later about what had happened, but feeling Jack there, knowing she was safe, somehow it was enough. She settled safely into his chest, sighing. "Thanks for saving me."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I wanted this chapter to be better, but I'm not sure if it worked. Anyway, read and review please. It gets a little more angsty before it gets better...but enjoy!**

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Kate's eyes fluttered open, staring at the sky. She groaned, her muscles feeling weak. Feeling the ground beneath her, her head felt dizzy, and laying back, she was surprised to realize there was someone behind her.

"Kate..."Jack whispered. "You're awake."

"Jack?"She muffled in confusion. Mustering up the strength to turn her head, she saw his chin resting on her shoulder. "Where are we?"

"We're on our island."Jack replied, seeing the questions looming in her eyes.

Kate frowned, her mouth feeling dry. "How?"

Jack tried to find the words, he wanted so much to tell her what happened, but he felt that if he did he'd scare her.

"Jack came back to the camp to get help. I came back with him to get you."Charlie replied, kneeling against a boulder.

Nodding, Kate's mind slowly came to terms with what was happening. She felt Jack's arms around her, heard his voice, but her reality came back to her. "No."She said firmly, trying to pry herself away from him. She scooted against the ground, using a tree to pull herself up. She stared at the man sitting against the tree, shaking her head. "I don't understand."

"Kate, let me-"

"No. You can't explain. You're dead. You and Sawyer...they...they said-"

"Kate..."Jack said, walking towards her. A trembling hand found her cheek, wiping away at a stray tear. "It's okay. We're okay."

She started trembling as Jack wrapped his arms around her. Sobbing took over her as the pain and confusion melded into one. Grabbing Jack's shirt in her fingers, Kate pulled back. Studying his face, her fingers numbly found his chin, carefully etching his jaw line. Lips trembling, Kate sighed. "You're okay."

Jack nodded, giving her a look of acceptance. "Are you?"He asked, licking his lips. "Are you okay?"

Kate closed her eyes, trying to blank out the memories of what had happened to her. "I don't know."

"It's okay, Kate."

"So you got away?"Kate asked, worried more about him than herself.

"I got away. I'm sorry I couldn't take either of you with me, but if I would have you would have gotten hurt. I ran...I ran but I knew the whole time I was going to come back. I couldn't have done it without Charlie."

Charlie's head popped up, standing. "You asked me to come along. We should probably get going soon, before they come."

Jack nodded, resigned. "We can wait a little while. Unless you feel up to walking."

Shrugging, Kate wouldn't admit that she didn't feel up to it. She gave his shoulder a squeeze, shrugging. "I can try."

"Are you sure?"

"Jack, please..."

"Okay..."Jack said, trying to gauge her response. "Okay."

Kate never bothered with a response, her eyes void. She walked along, in between Jack and Charlie. Anytime she would even begin to stumble, both would grab on, pausing for a few minutes until the continued. They had barely made it into the thick brush before Jack announced that they should stop for the night.

"Jack, please. Stop worrying about me. If we wait much longer, we'll die out here."

"We're not gonna die, okay?"Jack spat back, wishing she had more faith.

Charlie gathered wood so they could start a fire. Jack collected a few pieces of fruit from the trees surrounding them so they could at least have something to eat. Though they couldn't find anything that would serve as blankets or pillows, Jack was insistant that Kate was the one who was comfortable.

"Kate."Charlie said, sitting next to her. "You know Jack's only trying to help you, right?"

"I know. But sometimes he worries...too much. I can do this."

Charlie nodded, watching the flames. "You both are stubborn."

She sighed, pulling her feet to her chest. Kate wanted it all to disappear. While she wouldn't admit the fact that she was feeling weak, she knew that the sedative had worn off. "But so much has happened. I don't know if things will ever be the same again."

Jack overheard what she was saying, and it was that thought that caused a sharp pain within him. He wanted to make her feel safe, to make sure the everything about this turned out okay. Though he wasn't sure, he couldn't help but wonder how everyone in the Others camp were doing. He was hoping the Sawyer would at least be treated with a sense of normalcy. But still the thought puzzled him as to why he had been saved.

It was late that night before anyone bothered to speak again. Kate was propped up against a tree, staring over at Jack. A question lingered in her mind, but she was afraid of the answer. "Jack."

His head popped up, expectant. "Yeah?"He said, moving closer.

"If you...If you're okay-"Kate stopped, forcing the words out of her mouth. "Sawyer is-"

"Alive."

"How?"

Jack shrugged. "I heard the gunshot. I heard screams, but...Kate-"

"I'm sorry."She mumbled, a tear trickling down her cheek.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for."

She nodded. "You're doing all of this to help me, even after what I did."

Jack's eyes softened, placing an arm around her. "I know what you did. And yeah, It...I can't say that I understand why. Because I can't stand the fact that you were able to be with him under those circumstances...but we're not...so why should it-"

"It does matter."She muttered. "You were the last one I saw."

"What?"Jack asked, puzzled.

"Before they placed the bags over our heads."Kate said, a sense of finality. "Your face is the last one I saw."

Jack couldn't find the words to reply to her, but he felt that in the moment, he didn't need to.

"I thought you were dead. And it's just...that one image...of you just looking at me. Just...not knowing what was going to happen..."Kate stopped, shrugging. "It's the only thing I could concentrate on without going insane."

Jack nodded, hands resting on his knees. "Kate."

She looked over, studying the look in his eyes.

"If you want to talk about what happened, I'm here. I mean...you don't have to. But I'm here."

Kate nodded, finally able to crack a smile. She nudged him in the arm, her hand slowly sliding into his. Her head tilted onto his should as she felt her eyes close. The one thing she wanted was to feel safe, and for once, falling asleep next to Jack-it was the first time in weeks Kate truly felt safe. Sighing in content, Kate fell asleep, for the first time in weeks, not afraid.


End file.
